Jayson Tatum has cleared one other benchmark in his Achilles rehab, based on a report from ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Charania reported Sunday on the community’s pregame present that the Celtics star “has began managed 5-on-5 scrimmaging with coaches.” That’s a step up from the 1-on-1 exercises reporters have witnessed in current weeks.
When would possibly Tatum return to recreation motion? That is still unclear. Neither he nor the Celtics have shared a projected timeline, and president of basketball operations Brad Stevens mentioned Friday that Tatum “still has a ways to go” earlier than the staff will think about reactivating him.
Tatum lately acknowledged the potential “challenges” of reintegrating right into a Boston staff that has excelled with out him. A subsequent report indicated he was “reevaluating” whether or not to return this season or sit out till 2026-27.
“He has aggressively attacked his rehab at each flip,” Charania mentioned. “And pay attention, there’s extra containers for Jayson Tatum to verify. There’s extra phases in his rehab. He’s acquired to observe with the staff, after all. After which, once more, there’s additionally the conventional nerves of getting back from an damage of this magnitude — a torn Achilles in Might — to a very good staff that has aspirations for doubtlessly advancing within the playoffs.
“And Jayson Tatum has made clear to individuals round him, from my understanding, that he needs to come back again as near Jayson Tatum … as attainable. Not a shell of himself. Not a lesser proportion of himself. And the opposite aspect of all that’s the Celtics’ medical employees must clear him 100% earlier than he can return, and he himself must really feel 100% confidence and belief in that leg earlier than he makes a possible return this season.”
The Celtics need the identical, Stevens mentioned.
“The very best (time) for Jayson Tatum to come back again is when he’s 110% wholesome, he’s totally cleared by all people that issues in that call, and he’s acquired nice peace of thoughts and he’s able to do it,” Stevens mentioned in his post-trade deadline information convention. “That’s it. That’s the target, and that’s what we’re going to stay with.”
Requested whether or not the Celtics have an inside deadline for Tatum’s return, Stevens replied: “Once we really feel 100%, it’ll be a gaggle getting collectively and speaking.
“I believe our medical individuals are actually good,” he mentioned. “I believe his docs are actually good. So we’re going to hearken to them. He’s listening to them. I believe (coach) Nick (Sang) and (Taum) have had a tremendous work ethic all through this complete restoration. When it’s proper, then we’ll all sit down and discuss it. There’s nonetheless no drive from us. There’s no stress from us. However there’s additionally not going to be any of us saying, ‘Nicely, why doesn’t he simply take one other week?’ When he’s prepared, he’s prepared.”
